User:Mariafields

What is shin-byung? Shin-byung is a culture-bound syndrome prevalent among Korean women, including women who have emigrated from Korea. Also known as "shinbyeong," "divine illness," "Mudang illness" (South Korea), and "kangshinmu" (North Korea), shin-byung is literally translated as "spirit possession".

Causes Shin-byung is the physical manifestation of anxiety or panic attacks. Traditional Korean folklore attributes shin-byung to a shamanic initiatory process.

Symptoms Initially, one afflicted with shin-byung might experience feelings of anxiety or panic and/or somatic (bodily ) complaints, such as anorexia, dizziness, fear, gastrointestinal problems, general weakness, and/or insomnia. Left untreated, the syndrome eventuates into dissociative behavior and/or possession by ancestral spirits.

Treatment A case-study of a Korean woman living in the United States suggested that the best treatment for shin-byung is the traditional Korean method, which involves shamanism.